| 释义 |
ham·mer
I. \ˈhamə(r)\ noun
(-s)
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English hamer, from Old English hamor; akin to Old High German hamar hammer, Old Norse hamarr hammer, crag, Greek akmōn anvil, Sanskrit áśma stone, Greek akmē edge — more at edge
1.
a. : a hand tool consisting of a solid head set crosswise on a handle and used for pounding (as in driving nails, breaking stone, beating metal surfaces) — see ball peen hammer, claw hammer, sledgehammer; compare mallet
b. : a power tool that often substitutes a metal block or a drill for the hammerhead (as in driving posts, stamping or forging metal, or breaking up rock surfaces) — see air hammer, drop hammer, jackhammer; compare pile driver
2. : one that strikes like a hammer
< we need a concerted, vigorous voice; we need a hammer — Harvey Breit >
< wielding this problem as the hammer with which they must smash the last vestiges of Christian thought — L.J.Shehan >
< the hammer thrust of radio and television — Saturday Review >
3. : something that resembles a hammer in form or action: as
a. : a lever with a striking head for ringing a bell or striking a gong (as in a clock or an electric bell)
b. obsolete : a door knocker
c.
(1) : a steel cover for the powder pan of a flintlock gun against which the flint strikes to ignite the powder; also : an arm that holds the flint for striking : cock I 4
(2) : an arm that strikes the cap in a percussion lock to ignite the propelling charge
(3) : a part of the action of a modern gun that strikes the primer of the cartridge in firing or that strikes the firing pin to ignite the cartridge
d. : malleus 1a
e. : gavel; specifically : a gavel with which an auctioneer indicates that an article is sold to the last bidder
f.
(1) : a padded mallet in a piano action for striking a string
(2) : a hand mallet for playing on a percussion instrument of fixed pitch (as a dulcimer or a xylophone)
4. : a metal sphere hurled in the hammer throw that usually weighs 16 pounds and together with its flexible wire handle measures not more than four feet in length
•
- under the hammer
II. verb
(hammered ; hammered ; hammering \-m(ə)riŋ\ ; hammers)
Etymology: Middle English hameren, from hamer, n.
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to strike blows especially repeatedly with or as if with a hammer : pound
< the impounded water hammers at the weak spots — Russell Lord >
< his pulses hammering in his head — Clive Arden >
b. : water-hammer
2. : to become insistent or urgent : be in or keep up a state of agitation
< these thoughts … hammered in her indignant consciousness — J.C.Powys >
3. : to make repeated efforts as if shaping with a hammer:
a. : to reiterate an opinion or attitude repeatedly and emphatically : to place emphasis by constant repetition or discussion
< continually hammers on the danger of intrigue — O.M.Green >
— often used with away
< letters and pamphlets all hammered away at the same point — Nathan Kelne >
b. : to work persistently or tirelessly : toil, labor
< Beethoven thought of an air, hammered at it, altered it again and again — C.W.H.Johnson >
4. now dialect England : to speak haltingly : stammer
transitive verb
1.
a. : to strike with a hammer : beat, drive, or shape with repeated blows
< hammer a nail >
< hammer a horseshoe >
< hammer out a tray >
b. : to fasten with a hammer (as by nailing)
< hammer down a lid >
c. : to build with hammer and nails — usually used with together
< hammer together a cold frame >
2. : to strike as if with a hammer:
a. : to hit or drive with the force of a hammer
< hammered three home runs in one game — Bob Broeg >
< the incoming train hammered the rear of the shorter train — Springfield (Massachusetts) Union >
b. : to strike with repeated blows : pound, thump
< hammer a typewriter >
< hammering a rather hard pillow into a more comfortable shape — Dorothy Sayers >
c. : to bring or keep under attack : belabor
< the State Department is being badly hammered on this issue — New Republic >
3. : to produce or bring about as if by means of repeated blows:
a. : to shape or put together by persevering effort
< hammer our words to fit a song — Charles Fox >
< hammered together an alliance — Newsweek >
— often used with out
< hammer out a policy >
< hammer out an empire >
< sat at the piano for hours … trying to hammer out an original tune — Noel Coward >
b. : to force or drive into the consciousness by reiteration
< hammering in day after day the same few and relatively simple beliefs — John Dewey >
— often used with home
< hammers home the theme of freedom to think — Brooks Atkinson >
c. : to level off : make smooth : adjust — usually used with out
< differences are hammered out in discussion — Walter Moberly >
d.
(1) : to force down the price of (a stock) by selling short
< told the broker whom I had been using to hammer down the stock to continue his operations — B.M.Baruch >
(2) : to declare (a member of the London stock exchange) to be a defaulter
< broke away to the stock exchange and at twenty-four was insolvent and hammered — Times Literary Supplement > |